Woman Crush Wednesday – Gertrude

Hello and welcome to Comic Plug’s Woman Crush Wednesday (#WCW) – a weekly segment that shines a light on female series, characters, and writers. This week ComicPlug is all about Skottie Young’s masterpiece, I Hate Fairyland. Young has blessed us with Gertrude – the brightly-colored, foul-mouthed and reluctant adventurer. She warms our hearts with her cold-blooded murder. Though Gertrude hates Fairyland, we just can’t help but love her for it.

Once upon a time, when she was very little, Gertrude wished she could be transported to a magical land of wonder and whimsy. Suddenly her wish came true when a portal opened in her bedroom floor and she was sucked down to Fairyland. After an extremely painful landing Gertude is no longer excited to be in this enchanted kingdom. Queen Cloudia, ruler of all Fairyland, sends Gertrude on a day-long quest to find the key that will send the little girl home. Twenty-seven years later Gertrude has still not found the key or aged a minute. She is bitter, angry, and fed up with every muffin hugger in Fairyland.

Speaking of muffin huggers – Gertrude’s use of swear words is one of the best parts about her. She may have entered Fairyland a dainty little lady, but as time has gone on she has developed the finest vocabulary that a truck stop could teach. Some first-rate examples include: “Fluff you”, “Shut the hug up”, “Where the spell do you think you’re going?”, “Could give two zips” and “Eat a dip”. Set against her adorable, candy-colored, exterior, her swearing is hilarious. Also, when living in a society that deems swearing “unladylike” it is refreshing to adventure with a female character who is unabashedly vulgar. Most people can relate to the need to release frustration through loud swearing… and also murder.

Just like her swearing, Gertrude’s insatiable blood lust is hilarious when compared to her adorable outer shell. Gertrude kills indiscriminately. Guards, huntsmen, stars, narrators – none are safe from her slaughter. Despite the fact that she has not yet found her key home, Gertrude is also clever. When captured she was able to get herself close enough to the Slug Lord to execute him. Later she seeks out the Lands of Not and battles through the Darkest Deaddeath’s dungeon to gain his powers. This combination of intellect and ruthless violence means that Gertrude can get herself out of any bind.

Adoring Gertrude is effortless because she is so unlike the sickeningly sweet world in which she lives. Gertrude is a developed character and her frustrations are easy to relate to. Everyone knows someone who is annoyingly chipper and seemingly perfect. Everyone has moments of homesickness. Everyone has physical needs. Everyone makes bad decisions. Everyone loses their temper. Gertrude is so great because she is an exaggerated version of ourselves.

What did you think about our #WCW this week? Who or what would you like to see featured? Let me know in the comments below!